Railway tie



R. J. WELLS June I, 1937.

RAILWAY TIE Filed Nov. 15, 1934 Patented June 1, 1937 UNITED STATES rorrice 12 Claims.

This invention relates to railway track construction, and moreparticularly to a resilient tie therefor and the mode of installationthereof.

While the present railway tie is primarily intended for street railwayconstruction, and is especially desirable for replacement purposes inold track beds, it is not limited to such installation but in suitablesize and proportions it is applicable to open track construction andoriginal installation.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction as well asthe mode of installation of ties whereby they may not only beeconomically manufactured, but will be more efficient in use, of maximumstrength, and durability, light weight, and unlikely to get out ofrepair.

A further'object of the invention is to provide resilient sleepers orsupports for the track rails supported directly on the road bed orfoundation.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a railway tie capable ofinstallation with minimum excavation, labor and expense.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tie having increasedanchorage engagement with the road bed.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means forconfining the resilient material to prevent oozing thereof underinfluence of summer heat and traffic pressure.

A further object of the invention is the employment of an improvedsemi-solid or plastic resilient material capable of yielding undertrafiic loads, but incapable of displacement from the containers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a railway tie possessingthe meritorious features of construction and advantageouscharacteristics hereinafter mentioned.

In the drawing wherein is shown the preferred, but obviously notnecessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention, Fig. l is aperspective view illustrating the installation of the railway tieforming the subject matter hereof. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of theassembled tie. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through one of the resilientsleepers. Fig. 4 is a plan view thereof. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspectiveviews of modifications of the form of the connecting tie bar.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe several views.

Metallic railway ties are not new in this field. Different forms of tiestructures have been proposed, varying from simple I-beams to quitecomplicated structures. It has been proven, however, that a trackconstruction employing metallic ties is likely to be excessively rigid.Although a solid railroad bed is popularly supposed to be desirable,such road bed must in fact possess a certain elasticity or resiliency,without which the track will be disagreeable to ride over and willinduce degree of resiliency which will not only improve traflicconditions, but which when embedded in a concrete foundation will absorbshock and vibration and so prevent breakage and disintegration of theconcrete sub-structure. In such installation the transverse connectingbar of the tie becomes a reinforcement element of the concretestructure, enabling it to resist breakage while the resilient sleepersat opposite ends cushion the shock and vibration thereby furtherprotecting the road bed from disintegration. Such resiliency is equallyadvantageous to the railway equipment by minimizing shock and vibration.

As illustrated in'the drawing, the present tie comprises a channel bar ldisposed with its flanged or recessed side downwardly whereby theflanges are embedded in the underlying concrete foundation and serve tomore securely anchor the tie against creepage.

Secured to the opposite ends of the channel bar l are box-likereceptacles 2 usually, but not necessarily, made of sheet metal. Withinthe receptacles 2 are bodies of resilient material confined by overlyingsleeper plates 4 resting thereon, and fitted closely within thereceptacles, but verticaly movable therein against the yieldingresistance of the cushion body 3. The plates 4 support track rails 5which rest thereon.

While rubber, composition or other resilient material may be employedwithin the receptacles 2, asphalt in a semi-liquid or plastic conditionhas been found quite satisfactory. However, to prevent displacement oroozing of the asphalt under trafiic pressure when softened by summerheat, the asphalt is preferably intermixed with a fibrous material orwith a suitable filler into a semi-solid form in which it can be moldedor rolled into relatively thick boards and cut to size. Board-likematerial of fiber impregnated with asphalt or the like is now availableupon the market. Such material while possessing considerable weightcarrying capacity is suiiiciently resilient to absorb vibration andshock, and yet is not subject to displacement from the receptacles. Inlieu of employing such semi-solid asphalt board for the entire cushion,or employing asphalt in a semiliquid or plastic condition, either ofwhich is suitable for use alone, these materials may be used incombination by arranging strips 6 of the solidified asphalt impregnatedfibrous material about the walls of the receptacle 2, and then fillingthe interior space with plastic or semi-liquid asphalt or otheranalogous material. In such arrangement the strips of fibrous materialor solidified asphalt underlying the crevices between the Walls of thereceptacle and the edges of the sleeper plate 4 serves as dams toconfine the more fluid ma terial and prevent leakage. Such sealingstrips 5 will yield, however, under trafiic pressure and will notmaterially dampen the resiliency of the cushion body as a whole.

Extending through the extremities of the channel bar I and the bottom ofthe receptacles 2 thereon and projecting thence through registeringholes in the sleeper plate i are stud bolts i adjustably engaging railclamps 8 which bear upon the base fianges of track rails 5 resting uponthe sleeper plates 4.

The receptacles 2 are somewhat wider than the channel bar I whereby theyproject therebeyond at opposite sides of the tie bar into directsupporting contact with the concrete foundation or sub-bed of the trackas at 9. This not only aifords a more positive and direct support forthe track rails but it enables a lighter tie bar I to be employedthereby materially oheapening the construction. Furthermore, by thusreducing the required size and weight of the channel bar 1!, the entiretie is rendered of less weight and more easily handled and cheaplytransported from place to place.

While an inverted channel bar is preferred, it will be obvious that theconstruction is not necessarily limited thereto but other crosssectional forms of tie bars may be employed, as for example a fiat baror strip or rod-like elements. While structural channel beams ofsuitable size are ordinarily used, such tie element may be formed bybending heavy sheet metal or plate material to the desired form.

One of the several advantages of the present tie for street railwayconstruction and particularly for track replacement is that it may bemade quite shallow and installed with minimum excavation, and less laborand material by utilizing a considerable portion of the old track bed.While for new construction, the tie is preferably, although notnecessarily, straight as shown in Fig. 5, for street railway trackreplacement, where a suitable concrete sub-bed is already existent, theportion of the channel bar I intermediate the sleeper receptacles 2 isarched upwardly at Ill to greater or less extent according to the depthof the track rails to be employed and the character of the inter-railpaving. By this means a considerable portion of the original concretesubstructure ll may be left intact or merely leveled off and trenches 12are excavated at the opposite sides to receive the sleeper receptaclesand ends of the tie bar, where they are embedded along with the trackrails 5 in a new concrete fill l3 which also embeds the arch Ill of thetie bar to less depth,

Conditions sometimes arise, especially in new construction, wherein anespecially deep concrete sub-structure is necessary in which it may bedesirable to embed the ties at a lower level either to avoid trackconduits, pipes or other obstruc-' tions or for greater security. Insuch instances,

the tie bar i may be formed conversely of the arched shape ill with adependent bight Illa intermediate the sleeper receptacles 2 as is shownin Fig. 6, which portion will be embedded more deeply in the concretedeposit.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thusprovided a device of the character described possessing the particularfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but whichobviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions,detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from theprinciple involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificfeatures shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the inventioninto effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its formsor modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the ap pendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a railway tie, a pair of spaced receptacles, resilient bodiestherein, sleeper members resting therein on the resilient bodies, and achannel bar disposed with its recessed side downwardly connecting thereceptacles one with the other to be embedded in the road bed, thechannel bar being of less Width than the receptacles whereby the latterproject in opposite directions beyond the bar into supporting contactwith the road bed independently of the bar, said bar being archedintermediate the receptacles above the level thereof.

2. A railway tie, including a pair of spaced receptacles containingresilient cushion material, rail supporting sleeper plates supportedthereon, and a tie bar of less width than the receptacles extendingtherebeneath connecting the receptacles one to the other whereby saidreceptacles project therebeyond into direct supporting contact with theroad bed.

3. A railway tie including a pair of spaced receptacles containingresilient cushion material, rail supporting sleeper plates supportedthereon, and a tie bar interconnecting the spaced receptacles, said tiebar being formed into a bight intermediate the receptacles, the ends ofwhich are to be embedded in the road bed material beneath thereceptacles, means fixedly attaching the tie bar thereto beneath thereceptacles, the bight of the tie bar being arched above the level ofthe receptacles and likewise embedded in the road bed material.

4. A railway tie including a pair of spaced receptacles containingresilient cushion material to be embedded in the road bed material, railsupporting sleeper plates supported thereon also embedded in the roadbed material, and a tie bar interconnecting the spaced receptacles, saidtie bar being arched intermediate the receptacles, attachment meansfixedly securing the ends of the tie bar beneath the spaced receptacles,said intermediate arch portion being likewise em,- bedded in the roadbed material at a level higher than the spaced receptacle.

5. A railway tie including a channel bar disposed with its recessed sidedownwardly, separately formed box-like receptacles attached to the upperside of the channel-shaped bar in transverse relation thereto andprojecting in opposite directions therefrom, resilient bodies therein,and rail supporting sleeper plates resting thereon, said receptacles andrail supporting plates and the intermediate channel-shaped bar beingadapted to be completely embedded in a road bed deposit.

6. A rail support, including a box-like receptacle, a body of fluidmaterial contained therein, a rail supporting sleeper plate resting onsaid resilient material, and strips of solidified resilient materialresting on the bottom of the receptacle adjacent the inner walls thereofbeneath the crevices between the sleeper plate and the receptacle andserving as dams to confine the fluid material against leakage anddisplacement under trafiic pressure.

7. A rail support including a box-like receptacle, a resilientsemi-solid body of asphalt impregnated fibrous material resting on thebottom of the receptacle and contiguous to a side wall thereof, a bodyof semi-liquid asphalt mamrial associated therewith within thereceptacle, and a rail supporting sleeper plate supported on saidresilient body.

8. A rail support including a box-like receptacle, spacer means thereincomprising a resilient body of asphalt intermixed with a fibrousmaterial to form a semi-solid cushion located contiguous to the sidewalls of the receptacle, a body of plastic asphalt material surroundedby said semi-solid cushion material contained within the receptacle, anda rail supporting sleeper member resting upon the spacer means.

9. A rail support including a box-like receptacle, a resilient body offibrous material forming a circuitous semi-solid cushion, a body ofplastic material surrounded by said semi-solid cushion within thereceptacle, the body of semi-solid cushion material and the body ofplastic material being of substantially equal depth and a railsupporting sleeper member resting thereon.

10. A rail support including a box-like receptacle, a body of fluidasphalt contained therein, preformed strips of resilient semi-solidmaterial interposed between the body of fluid asphalt and the side wallsof the receptacle and a rail supporting sleeper plate resting on thesaid semisolid strips.

11. A railway tie including an elongated bar, box-like receptaclesdisposed transversely of the opposite ends of the bar and extendinglaterally therebeyond in opposite directions, bodies of resilientmaterial contained in the receptacles, rail supports resilientlysupported on said bodies of resilient material, the tie and receptaclesbeing adapted to be completely embedded in a deposit of road bedmaterial upon which the extending portions of the receptacles willdirectly rest at opposite sides of the tie bar and thereby support therail supports independently of the tie bar.

12. A railway tie including a tie bar, receptacles carried by theopposite extremities of the tie, rail supports positioned therein,spacer members of semi-solid material located contiguous to the sidewalls of the receptacles on which the rail supports rest, and a body ofsemi-fluid resilient material associated with the spacer members withinthe receptacle and separated from the side walls of the receptacle bythe interposed spacer members.

RALPH J. WELLS.

